Green Eggs and Spam?

A food and nutrition blog authored by the altruistic Alisha and the effervescent Emma: two nutrition-centric superbrains determined to explore and explain today's tidal wave of nutritional science, myths, and trends. (...and we can cook, too)

Tuesday, 27 January 2015

I have been eating, breathing, and dreaming about dietetic
applications these past weeks. It’s a very stressful process, and as many of you
know high stress often leads us to reach for on-the-go convenience foods.

To avoid
this temptation I have been preparing this simple recipe for quinoa salad, and thought I’d
share with you! It’s delicious, nutritious and keeps you satisfied for
a long time – oh that fibre and protein! I need to get back to my applications so
I’m going to keep this one short J

**You can top the salad with some toasted pumpkin seeds or
sliced almonds for an extra crunch

Instructions

Over medium heat toast quinoa using 1 tbsp oil for about 3-5
mins – this gives the quinoa a nuttier flavour!

Add water and bring quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to
low and simmer for about 15 mins.

Let the quinoa cool for about 5 mins and then fluff with
fork.

Rinse beans & chick peas thoroughly (until water runs
clear).

Whisk olive oil with red wine vinegar, fig vinegar, mustard,
lemon juice, salt and pepper. If you don’t have olive oil you can use canola
oil, and you could also use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine and fig
vinegar.

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together. Chill
overnight. Consume.

Not that I want you to concentrate on specific values of nutrients or calories but just in case you were wondering...

Friday, 12 December 2014

I must confess, I am obsessed with pumpkin. Pumpkin
flavoured things, pumpkin scented things, really all things pumpkin. Now that
Thanksgiving and Halloween are over, I’m noticing the pumpkin craze is slowly
disappearing, and this makes me sad. In attempt to keep pumpkin in my life I
made these pumpkin blossoms* (mine were nowhere as nice as the photo below, just in case you were wondering...).

Now I am not saying that these are not good, they are in
fact delicious, but I honestly feel better about eating treats when they are
providing my body with some kind of good-for-you nutrients. So I decided that I
would take Emma’s advice (from her last post) and substitute the butter with
avocado. And then I thought that while I was at it, I may as well substitute the white
flour for whole wheat … and then I may have gotten a little carried away and
developed my own pumpkin blossom recipe! So here it is with a nutrient analysis and everything!

Alisha's Healthier Pumpkin Blossoms

Ingredient List

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 medium avocado, mashed

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 large egg

pinch of salt

1/2 cup rolled quick oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tbsp ground flax seed

I followed the exact same instructions from the original recipe except I placed the chocolate chips on the top before cooking.

Overall, my version of the pumpkin blossoms have less fat, calories and sugar, and more fiber than the original. The avocado and ground flax seed also provides you with beneficial fats and other important nutrients!

And for those of you who want to look at (and possibly compare) the nutrition information, I have posted it below.

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

A few weeks ago I found myself having a conversation with someone who had yet to experience the joy and wonder of avocados. For the sake of this post, we shall call this person Rocko. I attempted to describe to Rocko the unusual texture and versatility of the creamy, green fruit, but it was kind of like trying to describe the sun to someone who has spent their whole life in a dark hole.

Me: Avocados are really delicious and wonderful! They have a pretty mild taste, not sweet like most fruits. You can use them to make guacamole, or as a butter substitute in baking-

Rocko: Butter? I thought it was a fruit.

Me: Well, yeah, but it has a high fat content so it's actually really creamy.

Rocko: Oh, it's a high fat fruit. That's weird. So it's bad for you.

Me: Actually, it's high in monounsaturated fat, which is the good kind of fat that lowers blood cholesterol levels. So they're good for you!

Rocko: So they have zero calories?

Me: ... Ugh, well no. Half an avocado has about 130 calories, but it's good fat! It's okay!

At this point Rocko looked pretty disgusted at the notion of ingesting 130 calories from just half a piece of fruit. All the reduced blood cholesterol in the world wasn't convincing him to try the avocado. Which is a shame, because what's life without guacamole?

This brief exchange got me thinking about the different kinds of fats. We call them all "fats", which unfortunately often scares people away. Fats make you fat, right? This actually isn't the case—many fats have amazing health benefits and are actually linked to weight control. Plus, fats are delicious. Always.

I mentioned before that avocados are a source of monounsaturated fat. When it comes to fats, we are either dealing with unsaturated, saturated, or trans fats. I am going to stick with the unsaturated fats for today, for the purpose of keeping this post somewhat short and sweet!

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats are the "good" fats. They are typically derived from plant sources, although fish is also a good source. So why are they "good"? The American Heart Association states that a moderate amount of unsaturated fat helps lower unhealthy blood cholesterol, thus reducing risk of heart disease and stroke (note: not all cholesterol is harmful!) Certain unsaturated fats also provide essential fatty acids which have been linked to healthy neural development and cognitive functioning.

There are two kinds of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. I shall now use my epic chemistry skills to explain the difference between the two! Monounsaturated fats have one double bond. Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bond. There ya go.

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are found in things like olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocados, and some nuts. As previously mentioned, MUFAs have been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels, which is important for anybody who wants to have a strong, healthy heart. So, everyone?

We also have Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), in all their double-bonded glory! Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are typically the most talked about, since the human body cannot produce these on its own. Avocados boast an excellent blend of both of these essential fatty acids!There's a lot of research buzzing around omega-3s these days. Essential for the development of the brain and retina, omega-3 has been linked to the prevention/treatment of Alzheimer's, macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. You can get your Omega-3s from quite a few foods, including soy, walnuts, flax, canola oil, and certain types of fish. Click here for a more complete list!

All you need to make guacamole!

So I said I would try to keep this short and sweet. How am I doing? Don't answer that. Anyways, back to my conversation with Rocko! Clearly, avocados have a myriad of beneficial nutrients... but Rocko was scared away because of their high caloric content. Sure, avocados pack a formidable caloric punch, but their nutrient density certainly makes it worth it! Plus, their high fat content makes them creamy and satisfying. In terms of satiety, half an avocado will leave you feeling fuller and more satisfied than a sugary granola bar. So don't fear the fat! A moderate amount of avocado is both delicious and nutritious. Try adding it to smoothies, sandwiches and salads for added flavour, creaminess, and satiety! Make guacamole and serve with vegetables or whole grain crackers. You can even try replacing the butter or margarine in your baking with an equal amount of avocado - the results will delightfully surprise you! Have a favourite avocado recipe? Send it to us—it might just earn a primetime spot on the blog! Instant fame and fortune!**Maybe...but likely not. Still, it's worth a try so send us your stuff!

Monday, 22 September 2014

Hello internet world! Emma here. I am pleased to announce that after a summer-long blogging hiatus, Alisha and I are once again gearing up to debunk all the myths of the nutrition world. Yup. All of them. We're only slightly ambitious.

But before we take over save the world, I have a few non-nutritional musings of my own.

As many of you know, my own interest in nutrition began when I realized that food could be used for healing. Having spent most of my childhood and teenage years viewing food as an adversary to be vanquished, I was astounded to find that food could actually be friendly.

I love the science behind food, but what really makes my heart sing is helping people develop healthy relationships with food and with their bodies. So many of us view our bodies as projects to be worked on, and food as tools to get the job done. True, we should take care of ourselves and be mindful of the fuel we take in—but we must also have realistic expectations of ourselves.

Do you love ice cream? Chocolate? Warm plates of nachos with delicious melty cheese? Me too. And guess what? I'm not going to avoid these wonderful things simply because some magazine or TV personality tells me that these are "bad". There are no bad foods. There are foods that are less nutrient dense, and these should be enjoyed in moderation. So enjoy them, without guilt or regret.

A healthy lifestyle is more complex than simply eating a certain amount of calories each day, or a certain number of foods from the food guide. It's about variety in both nutrition and activity.

I'm rambling here—I do apologize! I'll finish this off with a challenge for all you excellent readers.

I challenge you to try both a new food and a new activity at some point this week.

For those of you who live in Vancouver, I can proudly say that I rollerbladed the seawall a few nights ago and didn't fall down once! I hadn't rollerbladed in about four years, so this is quite the achievement.

Monday, 31 March 2014

Hey everyone! Emma here, apologizing for the delay in blog posts! Must be that end-of-the-semester time again.

I don't know about you guys, but I know that for myself the end of the semester always heralds a time of perpetual snacking. It seems there's simply no time for full meals, and I find myself reaching for whatever is convenient and close. I do try to be healthy about it (think lots of veggies, hummus, peanut butter, and fruit) but once 10pm hits all bets are off.

After 10pm, all I want is a lot of something crunchy. I want hundreds of little bite sized bits of crunchy. Baby carrots don't cut it, crackers are alright, but I know what my heart (okay, mostly my stomach...) really wants.

Yep. I cannot resist a lovely, lovely bowl of popcorn. I have an excellent air popper so I don't have to subject my body to all the questionable ingredients in those microwave bags.

Again, I try to keep it marginally healthy by going easy on the butter. I also add different spices, because I'm a spicy sort of person. However, one does not simply eat popcorn without salt.

Which brings me to the actual point of this blog post. There are many types of salt out there—sea salt, kosher salt, and table salt are just a few. Many people believe that kosher or sea salt is healthier than table salt. Alas. Salt by any other name is still just that—salt.

There a couple main differences between sea salt, kosher salt, and table salt.

Sea Salt

Sea salt is derived from evaporated seawater. It is minimally processed, so it has large grains and a great crunchy texture. I personally love a bit of sea salt on large soft pretzels and certain cookies.

It's delicious, but not inherently healthier than any other salt. Because sea salt is derived straight from seawater, it may contain more magnesium, potassium, calcium, and other minerals than table salt. But these minerals are present in such trace amounts that they have little impact on total dietary intake (AHA, 2014). Plus, these minerals are easily obtained from a variety of foods, like vegetables and nuts.

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt is made up of large, flat, flaky salt grains. It is called "kosher" because of its use in the processing of kosher (adhering to Jewish dietary law) meats. Because of its surface area, kosher salt sprinkles easily and dissolves quickly.
As with sea salt, kosher salt is less processed than table salt. Again, this doesn't automatically mean it is healthier!

Table Salt

Last but not least, the ubiquitous table salt. This sucker is so common that most of us can't imagine our dinner tables without it. This is usually the culprit we point to when faced with rising levels of hypertension and heart disease. But is table salt really so bad?

Table salt, like sea and kosher salt, is composed mainly of sodium and chloride. It also contains potassium iodine, which has been added to table salt since the 1920s as a public health initiative (The Salt Institute, 2013).

Why iodine? The thyroid gland requires iodine for normal functioning. Too little iodine can result in goiter, which is the swelling of the thyroid gland. Google image "goiter" if you like—but it's not a pleasant thing to look at. Aside from goiter, iodine deficiency in pregnant women can impede neural development in unborn babies. Not good.

The naturally occurring minerals in sea and kosher salt are not present in table salt, as they are lost during processing. Table salt also contains anti-caking agents to prevent clumping and sticking. I know the presence of additives worries many consumers.

When it comes to fighting hypertension, simply leaving the salt shaker in the cupboard isn't enough. According to the American Health Association, 75% of sodium in the typical North American diet comes from processed foods. We expect certain processed foods to be high in sodium, like pickles, chips, and french fries. But what about breakfast cereal, bread, pasta sauce, and cheese? Go to your fridge and check out the labels on these products—surprisingly, these foods are often very high in sodium!

The safe upper limit for sodium in all its forms (kosher, sea, table, processed) is 2,300 mg/day (Health Canada, 2012). Most North Americans get closer to 3,400 mg/day! When it comes right down to it, table, kosher, and sea salt are all salt. They are all sodium chloride, they all contain about 40% sodium (AHA, 2014), and too much sodium ain't good for ya. Those "sea salt" chips aren't necessarily any healthier for you than any other brand.

So if you just need a salty fix once in a while, but still want to making healthy choices remember these three things:

Table salt, kosher salt, and sea salt all contain the same amount of sodium.

Table salt contains slightly less naturally occurring minerals, though it also contains iodine.

Saturday, 15 March 2014

As suggested in my previous blog post, I have created two nutritious and delicious smoothies—okay so I may have gone a bit overboard and created more, so basically look forward to more smoothie posts! Smoothies are a quick and easy way to incorporate dairy, fruit and veggie servings into your diet. I also always make sure to add some ground flax seed to my smoothies to get the omega-3, fiber and antioxidant benefits that it provides (make sure it's ground to get these benefits!).

The first smoothie I made was a Green Fruit Smoothie. It has a bit more than one serving of dairy and two servings of fruit!

Green Fruit Smoothie

Photo Credit: Caitlin

What you'll need...3/4 cup milk1/4 cup Greek yogurt1/4 cup greens1 tbsp ground flax3/4 fruit1/2 bananaWhat you need to do...Put it all into a blender of your choice, and blend!

Photo Credit: Caitlin

Because I'm lactose intolerant there is 1% lactose-free milk in the ingredient photo, but you can use whatever milk you prefer. You can use any frozen fruit you want, and any type of dark leafy green (I used a kale, spinach, and chard mixture). I also like to use Greek yogurt because it makes a smooth, creamy smoothie, but you can use any type of yogurt. I always make sure to use a plain low fat dairy to avoid unnecessary added sugars.

The next smoothie I made is more of a "treat" smoothie! It still gives you some fruit and dairy products, as well some protein from the peanut butter. While I would recommend drinking the green smoothie often, I would probably save this one for a "once in a while" occasion.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Photo Credit: Caitlin

What you'll need...2/3 cup chocolate milk1/4 cup Greek yogurt1 tbsp ground flax1/2 tbsp peanut butter1 bananaWhat you need to do...Put it all into a blender of your choice, and blend!

Photo Credit: Caitlin

I chose to use a chocolate soy milk, but you can use any kind of chocolate milk. (Just as an aside, I bought this "Silk" brand of soy milk because it was on sale—I'm a poor student!—and it is not as tasty as the "So Good" brand, so I would recommend that one if you are in the market for a soy milk). This shake has a full serving of dairy and a full serving of fruit!

I really enjoyed this process—I especially enjoyed the taste testing and decorating the glasses—so expect many more recipes on this blog! A special thanks to my roommates for taste testing with me, and Caitlin for taking the lovely photos :)

So this week's post isn't really about food, but it's an issue that's both highly important and very close to my heart. February 23 - March 1 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (it's technically an American thing, but that hardly matters).

So this post will be about various eating disorders, common myths, and information on how you can either help a loved one or get help yourself.

Before I begin here, I feel it is necessary to divulge a bit of personal information, which is kinda uncomfortable since I have no idea who will be reading this! Years ago, I struggled with an eating disorder and managed to beat it. The whole long, terrible, painful experience of illness, recovery, and rebuilding my life put me on the path I'm on now—studying nutrition with the hopes that someday I can help others in the way that I was helped.

Personally, if there was just one thing I wished people would understand about eating disorders, it would be this:

It's not about food.

Truly. Not about food.
It's not even all about body image. It's also about coping, insecurity, control, loneliness, isolation, anxiety, perfectionism, identity, depression, past wounds and future fears. The idea that a mental disorder as complex as an eating disorder can be fixed simply by "eating properly" is as ridiculous as saying that depression can be fixed by "thinking positive".

There can be a lot of confusion surrounding the definition of eating disorders, but it's important to remember that symptoms manifest differently in unique individuals—there is no cookie cutter definition of an eating disorder. The American Psychological Association recognizes three main eating disorders, as well as a fourth "undefined" disorder:

1. Anorexia Nervosa

self-starvation induced by intense fear of weight gain and obsession with weight

individual engages in continual, compulsive behaviours to prevent weight gain, such as routinely exercising to the point of exhaustion or creating rituals around food and eating

2. Bulimia Nervosa

eating a large amounts of food very quickly at one time, followed by compensatory behaviours such as vomiting, laxative abuse, and excessive exercise

3. Binge Eating Disorder

frequent consumption of very large amounts of food, but without compensatory behaviours seen in Bulimia Nervosa

4. Eating Disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS)

often show a mix of symptoms of anorexia and bulimia, but don't necessarily fit into either category

There are many misconceptions and confusions surrounding eating disorders. They've been glamorized, trivialized, ridiculed, and brushed off. What's more, having poor body image is considered "normal", as are dieting and negative body talk.

(On a sidenote, it is always an appropriate time to quote Mean Girls. The limit does not exist.)

So let's dive into what this "normal" looks like. The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the Canadian National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) have compiled highly comprehensive statistics. Here are a few:

"4% of boys in grades nine and ten reported anabolic steroid use in a 2002 study, showing that body preoccupation and attempts to alter one's body are issues affecting both men and women."(Boyce, 2004)

"Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness - it is estimated that 10% of individuals with Anorexia Nervosa will die within 10 years of the onset of the disorder."(Sullivan, 2002)

As I talked about a few weeks ago, food and eating has somehow become extremely complicated. It can be hard to discern what is normal, and what isn't. Below is a definition for healthy eating used by an RD who works with eating disordered patients. As you read this, bear in mind that there is a different between disordered eating and having an eating disorder. Most people will likely exhibit some of these behaviours every now and again—this does not mean you have an eating disorder!

With so many children, adolescents, and adults obsessing over weight, food, and body image to the point of debilitation and even death, we cannot afford to be silent about eating disorders anymore. So I'm going to take this opportunity to bust a couple ED myths.

Myth #1: You can tell just by looking at someone whether or not they have an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are mental diseases. The toll they take on the physical body is devastating, but their effects on the brain can be unbearable. Someone may appear normal weight, overweight, obese, or even athletic but be silently facing thoughts of depression, inadequacy, hopelessness, fear, and anxiety.

The media may cause us to think that in order to have an eating disorder, you have to be severely emaciated. Drastic starvation, even to the point of heart failure and death, does occur. But it's dangerous to brush off those who do not meet our expectations of what an eating disorder "should like look". This myth can discourage individuals from seeking help, for fear that they will not be taken seriously if they don't look like Jack Skellington.

Myth #2: Eating disorders only affect teenage girls.

Eating disorders primarily manifest in females aged 15-24, but it is estimated that 10% of individuals seeking professional help for eating disorders are male. It has also been noted in scientific literature that males are less likely to seek help for an eating disorder than women. So the actual percentage could be higher.

There are also studies emerging concerning the prevalence of eating disorders in older women. In one study of women aged 60-70, 4% of the study participants exhibited eating disordered symptoms (e.g. laxative abuse, bingeing). This is comparable to rates in women aged 15-24.

Myth #4: Eating disorders are caused by the portrayal of unrealistic bodies in media.

Research does show that increased exposure to fashion magazines, TV, and ads is directly related to increased levels of body preoccupation and dissatisfaction in young girls; however, if these images were the cause of eating disorders, everyone would have an eating disorder.

While the media certainly perpetuates body dissatisfaction, most people do not develop full-blown eating disorders. Eating disorders are the result of a myriad of factors—personality, support system, coping mechanisms, genetic predisposition, and past experiences are only a few.

Myth #5: Eating disorders are a choice.

No one wakes up and thinks, "I'd really like to develop an eating disorder today". As mentioned before, eating disorders are often about control and perfectionism. What can begin as well-intentioned determination to get healthy and eat right can escalate into compulsive deprivation. Eating disorders can also be an outlet for gaining control over one's own life.

Eating disorders are self-perpetuating cycles—they take hold and rip away one's control over their thoughts. It's a difficult thing to understand, which is partly why so many misconceptions exist. If you want to understand more, I suggest you read the stories of people who have experienced ED firsthand.

Now it's time for Emma's book recommendation! This is a thing I have just created, and I can tell you are very excited.

The best book I have read on the topic of eating disorders is definitely "Unbearable Lightness" by Portia de Rossi. She describes so succinctly the silent pain of living with an eating disorder and the incredible struggle of recovery. Also, Portia is delightfully witty and a wonderful writer.

For anyone wanting to better understand what goes on in the mind of someone suffering from an eating disorder, read this book!

If you have any book recommendations for me, please leave me a comment! They don't necessarily need to be eating disorder related—I love books and am always looking for a reason to delay my chemistry homework.

In conclusion, I would like to say (a) one BIG thank you for reading this very long post, and (b) if you are currently battling an eating disorder, or suspect you are at risk/have an eating disorder, PLEASE do not be afraid to seek help. There are so many resources to help you and people to love you. No one should have to deal with an eating disorder, especially on their own.